Arabella
We stayed put in the summer lodge for a few hours, discussing our upbringings, small details about our likes, dislikes and just getting to know one another some more. Well, Luca listened to me talk mostly as he continued to fill my glass of wine up. We'd gone through only two bottles by the time the sun started to set.
Sitting on the garden terrace with Luca's jacket draped over my shoulders, he laughed at something I'd said about Tristian and our constant fighting as children.
"I'm sure your mother was very pleased to know her daughter continued to get her little brother into a headlock." He laughed again, before taking a sip of his drink.
"Yes well, father wasn't and would scold Tristian for not fighting back. But Tristian would try his best not to harm a single hair on my head. If he didn't steal my horse as often as he did, we wouldn't have fought so much."
"You aren't that far apart in age are you?"
"No, there's about fourteen months between us. We did have a younger sister, but she died when she was born and then after her, my younger brother arrived but he caught a fever after his first birthday and it took him in his sleep," I paused for a second, the memory of their faces flashing in my mind and I held back the tears that tried to break free.
"Mother never wanted to try again after that. Death of a child, she would say, was something you took with you everywhere you went."
"Did they have names?"
I had to think for a moment, to bring that memory forward. Something that was so deeply locked in my mind, long forgotten as their names weren't spoken about once they were buried. Mother hated the mention of them as it would tear her apart.
"Diana and Stefan were their names. They were beautiful, both with thick curls of black hair just like my mothers."
Topping up my drink, Luca held my gaze for a second, he mentioned having a child at a time and this mention of my siblings may have reminded him of that pain. Without thinking, I placed my hand on his and tried to smile softly.
"My apologies if this conversation upsets you." I murmured and he returned his smile.
"I can't even remember their faces. It was so long ago — I remember my son's bright red hair, like his mothers and my own. Clio was my wife's name and Hector was my son's. They were before my time as a vampire, so a century or two ago. I can't really recall how long it's been. When you become something like me, time is just a thing that humans are affected by."
I'd never thought about time not being something of importance to anyone, but then again, when you become something immortal in a way, it's not really noticeable as such. Luca would have said goodbye to many people in his family, his circle and most likely had to move from time to time, so no one really noticed him. And yet, here he was in my Empire and all that knew of what he was stayed away. Kept their distance for safety. Vampires were none in the history books, in folk tales and stories you'd tell your kids around a fire.
I never thought in my lifetime I would be sat drinking wine with one or be married to him in fact.
"Do you miss it? — The ability to die like your loved ones?"
"Death will come for me one day, when he is ready. Vampires may not age, we may heal from wounds easily and as such we have other abilities, but we can die. If the right tool is used."
After reading the books, I was fascinated by the notion of becoming something powerful, to protect my people in more than a human basic way. I would no longer need an army as large as my own, I'd be able to fight the demons and men that come to my door.
"Have you," I paused, wondering if I should ask such a person a question. "How did you turn? Did you have to die? How does it work?"
He looked at me with questioning eyes as he finished the last of his drink, but did not go to top it up again. I didn't want to know the ins and outs of him, just yet. I wanted conversation, to at least know this person, whom I'd eventually have to share a bed with.
"If you are hoping for my secret's Arabella, you will be mistaken." He growled, his forest eyes showing those flashes of red for a second and then disappearing.
"I am only trying to get to know you, Luca."
He gave me a knowing hum in return and then stood from his chair to examine one of the red rose bushes. Stalling our conversation, it would seem or perhaps, not sure how he was going to answer my questions. If he was to answer it that was.
"I died when I became a vampire. I attempted the greatest sin in our God's eyes after my wife and son had died. But, a demon came across my body where there was still some life left in me and she decided I had far greater things to do than die."
He answered me but kept his back turned. I stayed rooted to my seat, unsure if I should join him at his side.
"She?" I asked.
"Yes, the one who turned me was an ancient vampire. One of the firsts I believe. She was crossing the plains of my land when she found me, hoping to find someone to feed on. Instead, she created me, and I became her child and she my sire."
"Is she still around?" I wondered, as something that old and ancient would possibly know more about our world than the history books perhaps.
"She has long gone to sleep. Vampires of her age need to rest, to regenerate and become strong once again. My vampire brothers and sisters watch over her, or so I have been told. I do not have contact with any of them. It has been a decade since we last saw one another."
There was so much more to vampires than what I'd read in those books. So much more I wanted to know, to discover and if we had eighteen months to be married, I would spend these months finding everything out that I could possibly find.
"As much as I am enjoying this chat, I suggest we head back to the castle to prepare for this feast you have prepared. I doubt they will be happy if we are late any longer."
He was right. We'd been here longer than I expected, possibly longer than he expected as well. I had assumed if we were going to be late, Tristian would send my ladies to come and fetch us, so when no one arrived, perhaps they wanted to give us more time.
"A feast can't begin until I arrive, and quite frankly I am just fine here." I said with coyness in my voice.
"Does my Empress wish for us to just stay here until we can no longer hide away?"
He stood in front of me and then kneeled down slightly, our eyes meeting once again, and a flutter ran through my stomach. A knot almost as I take his handsome face in. Even if this wasn't what I wanted, being married to someone as beautiful as him was indeed a blessing.
My mouth watered as I looked at his lips, wondering what they tasted like after drinking too much wine. I wanted to feel brave, to be brave and as much as I could swing a sword, or get myself out of a fight, I couldn't bring myself to move forward and close the gap between us.
"Your heart is racing."
He mumbled as he moved closer to me, his hands resting on either side of my thighs. Just a few inches up and he'd be able to get me to do anything for him. My core was already heating at his light touch.
I cleared my throat as I tried to calm my inner storm, and his lips curled into a smile. He knew just what he was doing. Centuries old and already knowing how to work a lady into a frenzy with a simple placement of his hands.
I wasn't meant to fall apart around him or under his touch. I had to keep my wits and will about me. I hated how our union came about but as Tristian mentioned, eighteen months was just a blip in Luca's world and judging by his opinion of time, it was nothing.
I could potentially have fun with this. Use it to my advantage. But until I became more experienced, this was as far as it was going to go.
His hands shifted more, tightening around my thighs and I tried desperately not to close my eyes and let my mind explore. He was after all my husband now and wasn't this what husband and wives did? The tension in the air could be cut with a knife as I lifted my eyes from his lips up to his forests and he seemed just as much as losing control as me.
"We should head back." I muttered.
"We will — I just have one thing I must do."
His one hand moved, taking his warmth with it and then cupped the right side of my face. Lifting my head up ever so slightly to fully meet his gaze as he licked his lips, his eyes darkened. My breath caught. I could feel myself shaking with nerves as he brought his face down, his lips meeting mine in the same second and for a moment, I kept my eyes open. Until his other hand slipped to rest on the back of my chair, holding him up and locking me in place.
It was only then did I close my eyes and lose myself completely in the softness of his lips. Our tongues joined, lightly touching each other's as they danced. I couldn't think a single thought other than being here, with Luca. His hand left my cheek and went round the back of my neck, gripping some of my hair into a fist and I sighed carelessly against his lips, and he returned my noise with a low growl and a smile.
He knew what he was doing.
I was grateful for the knock on the front door as he pulled away slowly. If he hadn't, I was sure I'd have lost myself completely a minute later.